Bart Palaszewski lives up to nickname with hardened approach to fighting

Tomorrow night, 28-year old Bart Palaszewski will compete in his 50th professional fight. Likewise, it will also be his first appearance in the Octagon and featherweight debut after compiling wins in a number of smaller promotions, the most recent of which was WEC.

However, no matter what Palaszewski faces inside the infamous eight-sided cage when he tangles with Tyson Griffin come showtime at UFC 137, chances are “Bartimus” will be prepared to go until he’s given his last breath much like his gladiatorial nickname might imply.

Palaszewski has been through a number of battles in his career and in the process learned a lot about himself, a fact he recounted recently on UFC’s website.

“It was the one and only SuperBrawl that happened on the mainland, outside Hawaii, and it was just a brawl, I loved it,” said the 35-14 Palaszewski of a 2005 bout against Bellator veteran Andrew Chapelle. “It was one of my favorite fights and it showed me that I have heart because I had the blown out elbow and the broken hand and still came out with the win. I was beat up for a while after that fight.”

With assistance from his hardened corner-men who told him to “stop being a girl” between rounds, Palaszewski fought through the pain and pulled out the decision win.

“You’re in a fight,” he said of his chosen profession. “You’re not playing chess. You might get a black eye, you might get cut or get your nose broke or an arm broke. Finish it. Yeah, I understand if your bone’s sticking out or a doctor stops it or you literally can’t continue, but if you’re like ‘Okay, it hurts, bad, but I’m still here,’ (then) screw it man, give it your all.”

The adversity he’s faced has molded the Team Curran competitor into the fighter he’s become, a set of circumstances he wouldn’t alter if given the chance.

“In a way I’m glad I went through the School of Hard Knocks. I wouldn’t change anything for the world. I’ve got quite a few losses, but I’ve got a crap load of wins as well, and I love it. I think it’s the right timing for me. I took small steps, I didn’t rush into it, and I think this way, the longevity of my stay in the UFC will be much better. I fought my way up, I’ve seen it all pretty much, and I’m here to stay.”

Fans can catch his bout with Griffin on the Spike TV prelims starting at 7:00 PM EST with PPV action following an hour later.

PHOTO CREDIT – WEC

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MMATraining Take: I’ve always been a fan of Palaszewski and am excited to see how he fares against Griffin. With 27 finishes in 35 wins and ten of his fourteen losses coming via decision it’s clear he’s got a lot of talent and is no easy draw. Now that he’s at 145 pounds, assuming the cut has been a well-planned one, watch out!